The Men Behind The Mask
by Mane
Summary: Many years after Jack of Blades had been vanquished from the land of Albion, and Ranger - the Hero who defeated him - has been appointed King of all of Albion. In his old age he sees over the reestablishing the Guild of Heroes, but a new evil approaches.
1. Prologue

_**Prologue - Albion After Jack**_

The land of Albion was in a time of new heroes, as the one first known as Chicken Chaser in his early days as an apprentice at the Guild - later to be known by many names to many people - was ending his time in Albion, soon to be passing on to the next world, whatever it may be.

The new generation of heroes had little to do but fight amongst themselves, many joined the bandits, just to have something to do - raiding villages and rebuilding as new towns to be governed by the Bandit Kings, heroes. The others, tried their best to defend the villages, but with everything south of the Greatwood Caves in control of the bandits, everything was in limbo, awaiting something to change the tides.

But the bandits, in all their newfound kingdom, weren't the only ones rebuilding. Fifty years after The Hero of Heroes - still known as the name when he left the Arena so long ago, Ranger - released Albion from the grip of Jack of Blades, its still in shambles from the extreme amount of destruction caused by Jack in his last rampage before the battle between himself and Ranger. Being, also, the King of Albion, Ranger had little convincing to do to get the carpenters , and other workmen to focus the rebuilding efforts first and foremost on the Heroes' Guild. Work is still being done to fortify the Heroes' Guild, but training has resumed, and the workmen are starting to fan out, working on Bowerstone and surrounding areas, much work remains, as fortification of the southern areas also has to be maintained.

But this story is not about such things, but rather on a new arrival at the Heroes' Guild, a young boy by the name of Charlie. Named for his grandfather Charlie is the son of two Heroes, so the Heroes' Guild was always in the plans for him.

At a very young age, Charlie lost his father to a balverine attack on his hometown, Knothole Glade. Though he was too young to understand at the time, he eventually came to terms with his father's death, after hearing of Scarlet Robe's very similar defeat while at the guild.

However, this story begins before this understanding. This story begins where Charlie's training begins...


	2. Chapter 1

_**Chapter 1 – The Hall of Heroes**_

"Thanks again, umm…"

"Amanda."

"Amanda, for taking him in so early, I have business to attend to in Knothole Glade and I really have to go."

"It's quite alright Mrs. Greenwood, classes begin in another week, I'm sure we'll find something to keep him busy." She smiled and looked at the boy before her, his black hair a mess. If she could see his eyes she was sure he'd be on the verge of tears.

Mrs. Greenwood bent down and wiped the hair from her son's face. "Don't worry dear; I'll be back in a few weeks to see you again."

"I don't want you to leave Mom!"

"Now Charlie, I told you, you'll be perfectly safe here at the guild. Amanda will be looking after you until you get settled in and the rest of your class will be here next week. I'm sure you'll make lots of friends here!" She leaned over and kissed him on the cheek.

"But Mom," Charlie said, wiping the cheek where his mother kissed him, "this place scares me."

Amanda laughed and knelt down in front of Charlie. "Charlie, would you like to see where our king defeated Jack of Blades?"

Charlie's face lightened up and the fear disappeared. The stories of the battle between Ranger and Jack that he had heard so much of - from books, friends, bards and the many drunken mouths at his mother's tavern – seemed so glorious, so majestic, magical, mysterious, and bloody amazing. He needed to see this room, or rather, this hall. The Hall of Heroes! He would finally set foot where Ranger saved Albion.

"YES!" He yelled, louder than his mother approved of. She was just about to protest when Charlie swung his arms around her in a swift hug, coupled with a quick "Bye, Mom" and ran off in the direction in which he thought the hall might be.

Amanda let out a chuckle and turned to the boy's mother. "Mrs. Greenwood, We'll take great care of Charlie, please feel free to drop in whenever you can."

"I know, and I will be back in a few weeks to check up, but after that I'll only be able to check in once, hopefully twice every couple of months. Business is slow as of late, and it's hard to find anyone else to work. I already told Charlie, but, should he forget, his Hero Doll is in his pack."

"Their popularity never seems to waver."

"No. Well, I'm off, goodbye Amanda, and good luck with Charlie and the other kids." Mrs. Greenwood said in a hurry, rushing through the door.  
"It'll be a pleasure!" Amanda yelled after her, turning to find Charlie. She found him in the library, nose deep in a book about the Great Battle. He was looking in the middle of the book, no doubt at the illustrations of how the artists perceived Ranger's tale. Looking over his shoulder she saw what he was studying so intently, his eyes were transfixed on a drawing of Jack's mask.  
"Is it here?" He whispered.

"Is what here Charlie, the mask of Jack?

"Yes, is it here?"  
"It's hung in the Hall of Heroes, come on I'll bring you down there, the paintings there are even better than those in that book." She took his hand and led him to a great wooden door, even bigger than the one placed at the entrance of the Guild. She paused for a brief moment, letting go of the young boy's hand, and pushed the giant slabs of wood forward, their hinges creaking as the weight shifted. A small bridge lay behind the door, on the other side was another, the same size, but with two great stained glass windows on either side, the left depicted Ranger, and on the right was Jack.

As they drew closer to the other side of the bridge, Charlie noticed the door was open slightly; a faint blue light was being emitted from it. Amanda seemed to notice it as well for she stepped in front of him, walking faster on the tips of her toes.

She burst through the door, and there surrounded by a blue mist, was a man clad entirely in black, huge plate shoulder pads with two large spikes on either side of his black hood, with a glowing red sword strapped on his shoulder.  
Amanda stopped in her tracks as Charlie walked up slowly and stopped behind her, afraid of the man standing in the center of the room.  
"Why are you here?" Amanda asked quite suddenly.  
"For you, of course."


End file.
